Álvaro Alonso Escobar

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Escobar, the publisher of the monthly newspaper La Región, was shot and killed by a lone gunman after an argument, according to state police commander Luis Mesa. A visitor arrived at Escobar's home in the town of Fundación, Magdalena Department, at around 7 p.m. and shot the journalist three times in the head before fleeing on a motorcycle.

Magdalena Department is known as a violent area, with leftist guerrillas and rightist paramilitary forces both active.

Mesa told CPJ that he believed Escobar had been murdered for personal reasons, but could provide no further details.